Went with some friends to explore a tiny part of another conservation area. This one also follows a stream (or several I think) through it’s course down at the bottom of a rather steep ravine. There are lots of beaver ponds as well and being sheltered by high banks on either side, it’s great for extending a sunrise shoot a few hours longer. There are lots of nest boxes and I’ll be the bird activity is very high…we scared some geese and made them crabby. Honking and flapping. They were funny. Eventually they moved off and the pond returned to its serene state. The roots of this old tree made for a terrific foreground element.
Used a polarizer to maximize those reflections and a graduated neutral density filter (8 and 4 stops) to balance the skies a bit, especially when the sun crested the hill.
For these next ones I used my 80s vintage, manual OM 65-200 zoom in order to really isolate the stumps and the reflections. Used the zoom feature in Live View to make sure the focus was spot on, so critical with these kinds of shots.
A little further away on the same side of the pond I saw this beautiful moss-covered log. After scrambling through the undergrowth I realized that beside it was a stone wall. It fell perfectly perpendicular to it and the lines were irresistible. When the beavers flooded the area the wall was submerged and this is all you can see from the shore. Went back to the Zuiko Digital 12-60mm for the wide angle view.
Sepia just seems to suit this last one despite some intense color. Mainly I wanted to emphasize the lines made by the downed tree, the boulders and the trees on the far bank. I also love the scrim of ice in the foreground. I’m definitely going back to this location for more exploration.
these shots are so stunning
Great set, I think the sepia works really well!
thanks guys. It’s a terrific location for sure.